The Flame of Love
by radpineapple
Summary: The team is investigating a time aberration involving the Petticoat Affair, but it reminds Mick of a painful memory. (Wow, this summary is terrible.)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

 **A/N: This takes place after season two. I tried to make this as historically accurate as possible. I apologize for any discrepancies. All mistakes are mine. Rated T for dark themes.**

 **Also, a huge thanks to pennythepants for taking the time to beta my work.**

"Think you can beat me this time?" Ray asked. "I've made some upgrades to the suit."

Nate stood opposite Ray, wearing his patriotic armor. "Of course I can beat you," he shrugged. "It's just a matter of time."

"Well, then," Ray said, flipping his visor down and moving into a battle stance. "Let's do this." Nate put his fists up and turned into metal.

"I'm afraid to cut you short," Gideon's voice rang out. "But I have detected a time aberration."

Ray lowered his arms in disappointment. "Aw, I was really looking forward to crushing you."

"We'll see about that. Raincheck?"

Ray nodded. "Raincheck."

Ray and Nate walked into the bridge of the Waverider. Jax, Sara, and Stein were already waiting.

"What seems to be the cause of the aberration this time, Gideon?" Ray asked the AI.

"The seventh president of the United States, Andrew Jackson, was not reelected in 1833," came the answer.

"That's not good," Nate said thoughtfully. "Political power will have shifted to the east, which would likely cause conflict among the nation. Jackson also vetoed the renewal of the Bank of the United States charter. If that charter stayed intact, the economy will have most likely plummeted."

"I'm afraid Mr. Heywood is correct," Gideon confirmed. "The state of the United States' economy became so poor, that it soon became a commonwealth for Great Britain."

"Did I just hear what I think I heard?" Mick asked, as he and Amaya joined the rest of the team.

"I'm afraid so," Stein confirmed. "It appears someone deliberately made sure Andrew Jackson was not reelected for president. Who knew he had such a great impact on our country?"

Sara nodded. "We need to stop this. Gideon, where did the time aberration happen?"

"March 27, 1829."

"Wait," Ray said. "I thought his reelection was in 1833."

"It is," Gideon confirmed. "But the time aberrations begin in 1829."

"Aberrations?" Amaya asked.

"There are multiple time aberrations dotting Andrew Jackson's timeline up to his reelection in 1833."

The team exchanged a look.

"It looks like someone really doesn't want Andrew Jackson to become president," Sara said.

"Gideon," Nate called. "You said 1829, right?"

"Yes, I did, Mr. Heywood."

"Why?" Jax asked. "What happened in 1829?"

"I believe Mr. Heywood is thinking about the Petticoat Affair," Gideon answered.

"I am."

"Petticoat Affair?" Mick smirked. "Sounds exciting."

"What is this Petticoat Affair?" Stein asked.

"Before he was reelected," Nate began explaining. "Andrew Jackson appointed John Eaton as his secretary of war."

"So?" Ray asked. "What's so scandalous about that?"

"Eaton had just married Margaret Eaton, formerly Margaret Timberlake, right before he became secretary of war. Margaret's first husband died at sea, and she married John Eaton not even a year after his death. This was seen as outrageous at the time and many rumors were spread. Andrew Jackson had a similar experience when he and his wife first came to Washington. Jackson sympathized with the Eatons and ended up having an entire new cabinet by 1831, due to rumors that were spread."

"Whoa," Jax said.

"Well, we're here to set things straight," Sara said. "Where is the time aberration in 1829?"

"It is in Washington D.C.," Gideon replied. "During a social dinner party attended by most of the major political figures of the time. They are celebrating John Eaton's appointment as secretary of war."

"Nate," Sara addressed. "You and I will go to the party to see if we can find anything there." Nate nodded. "Ray, Mick, and Amaya," Sara continued. "I need you guys to surround the building and be on the lookout for anything strange." Amaya nodded too.

"Got it," Ray said.

Sara looked at Mick. He grunted in acknowledgment.

"Jax and Stein, I need you two to stay in the Waverider and monitor everything. If things get out of hand, I'll need Firestorm to back us up," Sara concluded.

"Understood, Captain," Stein said, as Jax nodded.

"Good. Now strap yourselves in. Let's go ensure a scandal."

O

 _"What are we doing here? We haven't finished planning the heist," Leonard asked, annoyed._

 _Mick could tell Leonard had been getting worked up over the planning. "I already told you," he said to Leonard. "We need a break. What better way to do that than to get a drink?" He opened the door to Saints & Sinners._

 _Leonard scowled but followed Mick inside. "We can't stay here too long."_

 _"Why not?" Mick asked, feeling as if his plans to get drunk were being dashed._

 _"I have to pick up Lisa from school. I know_ we _never finished high school, but I want her to."_

 _"Waste of time, if you ask me," Mick said with a shrug, approaching the bar. Leonard sighed but sat down next to Mick._

 _A young bartender, not much older than Mick and Leonard, approached them. Her black hair had orange and red streaks running through it, and fell just below her shoulders. She gave them a small smile, her eyes lingering on Mick for a moment. "What can I get you guys?"_

 _"I'll take the strongest thing you've got," Mick said._

 _She raised her eyebrows and her lips quirked up, widening her smile._

 _Leonard gave Mick a warning glance, which was ignored. "I'll just take a beer," he said._

 _She nodded and looked at Mick one more time before going back to get their drinks. She returned a moment later, setting their drinks down in front of them. She gave them that small smile again._

 _She glanced at Leonard and then looked at Mick."So what brings you guys here so early in the day?"_

" _Does there have to be a reason?" Mick said, downing his shot and placing the glass back on the table._

 _For some reason that made her smile even more, and she looked towards the ground._

" _I've never seen you before," Leonard said as he set his beer down after taking a long sip, wariness creeping into his tone._

 _She looked at him and ran a hand through her colored hair. "I'm new. A, uh, friend of mine pulled some strings so I could get the job." Leonard studied her a moment before taking another sip of his beer._

" _Speaking of jobs," Mick said to the bartender. "I'd like another," he gestured to his empty glass._

" _Of course," she said, and went back to get Mick another drink._

" _You'd better be paying for your own drinks," Leonard said._

" _I'll pay you back after the heist," Mick promised._

 _Leonard glared at him but took a drink without saying anything._

 _The bartender returned. "Here you are."_

" _Thanks," Mick said, downing this one just like the last._

" _And that'll be his last drink," Leonard said, eyeing Mick._

" _What?" Mick said. "You didn't tell me this was my last one! I would've enjoyed it more."_

" _Mick, it's a shot. There is no 'enjoying' it. There's just getting drunk," Leonard snipped back. He turned to the bartender, "I'll take the check."_

 _She nodded at Leonard, glancing at Mick before she left. She returned a few seconds later. Leonard opened his wallet and gave her the right amount. He stood to leave. Mick sighed and did likewise._

" _Do you come here often?" The bartender suddenly asked._

 _Leonard studied her, his eyes icy. He was about to say something snarky to get her to back off, but Mick interrupted._

" _I guess you'll find out," he said, and then turned and walked away._

 _Leonard glanced back at her to see her grinning at Mick as he went through the door._

" _She seems suspicious," Leonard said as soon as they exited the bar._

" _You think everyone seems suspicious," Mick pointed out. He paused, then added, "I like her."_

O

Sara and Nate walked into the social party, arms linked, fully dressed in 19th Century fancy garb. People were talking quietly and the room was filled with social buzz. Drinks were being served on platters and everything was lit by many flickering candles placed smartly around the room.

"We're in," Sara informed the team through the coms.

"See anything suspicious yet?" Ray asked.

"No." Sara scanned the room. "Not yet."

"Hello, there!" Someone greeted the two cheerily.

Nate and Sara turned to see a couple standing next to them, smiles plastered on their faces.

"I don't believe we've made your acquaintance," the man said, extending his hand. "I'm John C. Calhoun, and this is my wife, Mrs. Floride Calhoun."

Recognition sparked in Nate's eyes. "Oh, yes! Mr. Vice President," Nate said, shaking his hand and kissing his wife's. "It is nice to meet you both. I'm Nate Heywood and this is my, uh, -"

"Sister," Sara interrupted, curtsying. "Sara Heywood."

"Well, it is nice to meet you both," John said. "Mr. Heywood, would you care to join me and the rest of the gentlemen over there," he gestured to a group of men near the back, deep in conversation.

"Oh, uh," he looked at Sara, who gave him a subtle nod. "Yes. I would love to join you," Nate finished.

"Very well," John said. He smiled to his wife and then looked at Sara, "I'll see you two ladies later. The gentlemen and I need to discuss politics."

Sara quirked a defiant eyebrow, and Nate gave her a warning glance.

"I'll see you later," Floride said, giving her husband a gentle wave as he and Nate walked across the room. Floride turned to Sara. "It is very nice to meet you, Miss Heywood. Why don't I introduce you to the other ladies? I'm sure they'd love to meet you."

"Sure," Sara said, allowing Floride to lead her towards a group of women in ridiculously lavish outfits.

The group of women all greeted Floride as she came, and she smiled at them. "Hello, ladies. This is Miss Sara Heywood." They all waved, curtsied, and said hello.

"I don't believe I've seen you around," one of the women said.

"I have just moved here," Sara said.

Some of the women glanced at Floride. "Oh, ladies, relax," Floride said. "She is definitely one of us."

"One of you?" Sara asked incredulously.

"Why, an elite member of society of course," Floride said. "You have the clothes, the manner – and don't think I didn't see how your brother had to ask your permission to join the other gentlemen."

There was an accepting murmur among the group.

"Uh, thanks," Sara said uncomfortably. "Speaking of gentlemen, isn't this party for Mr. Eaton?"

The ladies muttered disapprovingly. A few of them glanced to a group of men next to the group Nate was in. She recognized Andrew Jackson as one of the people in the group.

"Mr. Eaton should be ashamed for marrying a harlot like Mrs. Eaton!" Floride said. She cast a quick glare at one of the men in the group with a woman by his side. Sara guessed they were probably John and Margaret Eaton. She raised her eyebrows. "A harlot?"

"Oh, yes," one of the other women said. "Haven't you heard the stories?"

Sara looked at them in confusion. "Stories?"

"Oh, Miss Heywood," Floride said in mock surprise. "That Mrs. Eaton is nothing like us. She's a flirtatious tavern maid! She wasn't born with rich blood like the rest of us."

Sara looked over at Margaret. She seemed engaged in the conversation. She wasn't bound to the silly societal rules that these women were. Sara liked that.

"She was also married to a Mr. John Timberlake not even a full year ago," another woman added. "He died while he was at sea. Well, that's what we all thought at first. It turns out, he committed suicide."

"Probably because his wife had been going around with Mr. Eaton so much," another added. "Must have broken his heart – all her wild antics – and he decided to end his poor life."

"Oh, yes," Floride said. "That Mrs. Eaton is trouble. She is a woman of easy virtue and doesn't belong here at all."

Sara looked angrily at these women. They were just seeing what they wanted to see – probably how they always saw – down their noses. Sara was about to give them a piece of her mind when Ray spoke through the coms.

"Hey, guys," he said. "I think I see something outside."

Sara looked across the room and she and Nate locked eyes. She nodded, but then turned to the women.

"You all need to get some perspective! Margaret has probably worked harder than any of you ever have! She came from humble beginnings. She had to work to be where she is now."

"Miss Heywood!" Floride gasped.

"And you were wrong about me. I'm nothing like you, and I hope I never will be," she smirked and curtsied. "Good day." She quickly turned away from the group, Nate appearing by her side.

"Ray," Sara said. "Talk to me."

"I saw someone climb down from one of the rooms upstairs. He's heading towards Mick," Ray said.

"I'll get 'em," Mick said, from his spot near the back of the house.

There were loud footsteps quickly approaching him from just behind the corner. Mick gripped his Heat Gun tightly. Someone quickly turned the corner, and Mick pointed the gun at the surprised man in front of him. He had dark hair, and his dark brown eyes widened in surprise upon seeing Mick. He immediately panicked and opened the nearest doorway, flying through it. Mick was right behind him.

"He's running back into the house!" Mick said through the coms, as he chased the man through the kitchen.

People moved away from them in alarm. The man burst through the doors of the kitchen and into the main room, which Sara and Nate had just left moments ago. A woman screamed and someone yelled in surprise. The man pushed his way through the crowds of people, but Mick was closing in on him.

The man suddenly grabbed a woman and pushed her at Mick. She ran into him, but not hard enough to knock Mick over. Mick gave her a quick glance as he removed her from him. She had an oval face, a perfectly round nose, black hair, and beautiful brown eyes speckled with amber. Mick felt like he had been punched in the stomach. She pulled away from him, and he realized he'd been staring. Mick blinked and turned just in time to see the front door of the house closing. He growled angrily and ran out the door.

He burst outside and looked around. The man was nowhere in sight. Mick heard someone running around the corner and raised his gun. It was Sara and Nate.

"Where'd he go?" Nate asked.

Ray and Amaya suddenly rushed from around the other side of the house.

"What happened?" Amaya asked.

"He got away," Mick said lowly.

"What do you mean 'he got away'?" Ray asked.

"What I mean, Haircut, is that he got away," Mick said hotly. He quickly stormed back to the ship.

"Well, alrighty then," Nate said.

O

 _"Look," Mick said, opening the door to Saints & Sinners. "I promise we won't stay long. Don't you have to pick up Lisa soon, anyway?" _

_Leonard just smirked as he followed Mick, yet again, to the bar and sat down next to him. Mick looked over and saw Leonard staring at the wall, his brow furrowed._

 _"Hey," he said elbowing Leonard. "The whole point of this is so you would stop worrying about the heist."_

 _Leonard looked over at Mick. "We cut it too close last time."_

 _"Mm," Mick said. "Maybe we did, but we got away, right?"_

 _"Barely," Leonard said._

 _"So, what can I get you guys today?"_

 _They both turned to see the same young bartender with the colorful hair._

 _"Just give me what I had last time," Mick said._

 _"Mick, that was almost a week ago," Leonard said. "I don't think she remembers."_

 _"I remember," she said confidently._

 _Mick grinned at Leonard, "See? She knows how to do her job."_

 _The bartender smiled and looked at the floor. She ran her hand through her hair and slowly looked up. She turned to Leonard, "What can I get you?"_

 _"I'll just have a club soda."_

 _She gave him an apprehensive look._

 _Apparently, Mick was in the same boat. "A club soda? You're not going alcohol-free on me, are you?"_

 _"No," Leonard said. "But I have to pick up Lisa soon. I'm not riding with my little sister on my motorcycle while buzzed."_

 _"Fair point," Mick said. He turned to the bartender._

 _"I'll get those right away," she said._

 _Leonard carefully watched her as she left. And then it suddenly clicked. He was an idiot. His initial suspicion that she was too nosy was true, but it wasn't for the reasons he was thinking. He thought she had overheard him talking about the heist last time, and somehow knew they were criminals, but it was something else entirely._

 _"What are you planning?" Mick asked._

 _Leonard blinked and turned to Mick. "I'm not planning anything."_

 _"You have that look that you get when you figure out how to break into a building."_

 _Leonard studied Mick for a second. "I just figured something out."_

 _Mick scowled at Leonard, not appreciating being left in the dark, and was about to question him more, but the bartender returned and set their drinks on the table. She gave Mick a smile before she moved to the next people down the bar. Leonard turned to Mick, a small grin on his face._

 _Mick picked up his glass and noticed Leonard looking at him. His hand stopped awkwardly in the air still holding his drink. "What?"_

 _Amusement lit Leonard's eyes. "Nothing," he said before taking a sip._

 _"No," Mick said. "There's something. What is it?"_

 _Leonard took another drink and then stood up._

 _"Where are you going?" Mick asked._

 _"I gotta pick up Lisa, remember?"_

 _Mick looked at the clock. "I thought she didn't get out of school for another forty minutes." He turned back just in time to see Leonard leaving the bar. Mick frowned. What was going on with him? Oh, well. He knocked back his shot and set it on the table._

 _"Would you like another?" The bartender asked. She gave him a soft smile. She looked beautiful when she smiled. Her face was a perfect oval and her nose was round in a way Mick found strangely adorable. Not that he'd ever use that word out loud._

 _"Uh, yeah, sure," he said, not sure why suddenly felt self-conscious._

 _She gave him that smile again and returned a moment later with another shot. She placed it in front of him. She jumped up on the bar and swung her legs over the side and gracefully landed beside Mick sitting down next to him._

 _Mick was suddenly assaulted with all sorts of weird feelings all at once. He was nervous, he had a random rush of adrenaline, and he didn't want to look away from the woman in front of him. He downed the shot in a second. He looked at her again. Her brown eyes had amber specks in them that he hadn't noticed before._

 _"We don't really have that many customers this time of day," she said, her hand tracing a dent on the bar. She looked up at him, "You don't mind if I sit here, do you?"_

 _"Um," Mick said, his voice suddenly sounding incredibly weak. He cleared his throat, "I don't mind."_

 _She smiled again and then looked down at her feet. She flicked her eyes back up to him, "What happened to your friend?"_

 _"He had to go pick up his sister from school," he said, still a bit puzzled as to why Leonard left so early. "Or something."_

 _"Oh," she said, looking at her feet again. She suddenly looked up, "I'm Peggy, by the way."_

 _"I'm Mick."_

 _She smiled, and Mick got another rush of adrenaline, "Nice to meet you, Mick," she said._

 _"You too."_

 _Awkward silence._

 _"I like your hair. It reminds me of fire," Mick said lamely._

 _Peggy touched the ends of her hair, red creeping to her cheeks, "Thanks. I like fire."_

 _"Fire is dangerous," Mick said seriously, not fully understanding why he was suddenly worried for her. He remembered what fire did to his family, and he didn't want her to make the same mistake he did. He didn't know why though._

 _"But it's beautiful," she said._

 _Mick studied Peggy. She reminded him of fire. Not the roaring kind that took his family. She reminded him of the small, delicate flame that danced in the slightest of breeze. That's when Mick realized they were only inches apart. Her beautiful amber-speckled eyes taking up most of his vision. Mick suddenly stood up, unsure of what he was feeling, or why he was nervous and excited at the same time._

 _"I should go," Mick said, looking at the door and then back at Peggy._

 _She looked unwavering into his eyes. "Okay."_

 _Mick stared for another second, which only made things more awkward, before practically running out the door. He kept up that fast pace as he left the bar and for the next two blocks before he realized he didn't know where he was going. He slowed down and realized he was filled with adrenaline. What was going on?_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

 **A/N: Warning: Dark themes ahead. Nothing M but be prepared for heavy topics.**

 **Again, thank you to pennythepants for being an excellent beta for this chapter.**

 _It was nearly 11:30 at night and Leonard was furious. They had planned on robbing one of the smaller banks near the edge of the city that night. It was definitely their most ambitious heist to date. Neither of them had pulled off a robbery of this scale by themselves. Usually Leonard's father or one of his friends paid them to help with the bigger stuff. Unfortunately, a water pipe had burst just outside of the bank that afternoon, which completely ruined all of their plans. Sure, Mick had been disappointed, but he wasn't as upset as Leonard was._

 _"We spent weeks on that!" Leonard said angrily, his cool composure completely melted._

 _Mick shrugged. "There's always next time," he said, as he opened the door to Saints & Sinners. _

_They ordered their drinks, which were quickly delivered by Peggy. This time Leonard got something much stronger than a beer._

 _"Rough day, huh?" she said, setting down their drinks._

 _"You have no idea," Leonard said before lifting the glass to his lips._

 _She gave them both a smile, but her gaze landed on Mick. "I get that."_

 _Leonard set his drink down and looked between the two of them. Mick hadn't realized she was staring at him yet, but Peggy realized Leonard was looking at them a second too late. She blushed and then quickly scurried off to attend other customers. Leonard smiled to himself and took another drink._

 _"You seem to be in a better mood," Mick noted. "What changed?"_

 _Leonard gave Mick a sidelong glance, as if he knew something Mick didn't, but remained silent._

 _"Fine," Mick grumbled. "Don't tell me."_

 _"You're just gonna have to figure this one out by yourself," Leonard said before sipping the rest of his drink._

 _Mick looked puzzled. "What is that supposed to mean?"_

 _Leonard stood up, set some money on the bar, and looked towards the door. "It means," he said, turning to Mick. "You need pay attention."_

 _"Pay attention? To what?"_

 _Leonard just smirked. "See you tomorrow," he said, then left._

 _Mick knew Leonard wasn't telling him something, and he hated it. He grabbed his lighter and flicked it open. The flame had an eerie way of calming him. He stared as it danced and curved in the dimly lit bar, casting soft shadows on his nearby surroundings. Something behind the flame moved, and Mick looked up._

 _Peggy stood across from him, staring at the flame in fascination. The light played in her eyes, causing them to glow. Her hair framed her face, the firelight illuminating the light streaks in her hair._

 _There was a loud noise behind him. Mick blinked and closed his lighter. He turned to see two guys arguing over a game of pool. He turned back to Peggy._

 _She sighed. "Looks like I might have to go get the manager." She looked back at Mick, her eyes softening, and gave him one of her small smiles._

You need to pay attention _, Leonard's words echoed in his head._

 _Mick gave her a small smile in return, and Peggy suddenly looked towards the ground, her cheeks turning red, and quickly ran a hand through her hair before leaving to go find the manager._

 _Mick thought he knew what Leonard meant now._

O

 _Leonard stormed into an old, empty warehouse, banging the doors loudly as he entered. Mick was close behind. Leonard dumped the duffle bag he was carrying on the floor with a mighty thump. He unzipped it, and quickly grabbed his share. Mick reached the duffle bag and looked at Leonard._

 _"Look," Mick said. "I know things got a little out of hand –"_

 _"Not things," Leonard said icily. "You, Mick._ You _got out of hand."_

 _"It wasn't my fault that guard put up a fight!"_

 _"No," Leonard agreed. "But it_ was _your fault for not stopping. We only got a quarter of what we were supposed to collect tonight because_ you _couldn't control your anger!"_

 _The two were staring at each other with enough intensity to start a fire._

 _"We need to take a break," Leonard finally said._

 _Mick furrowed his brow. "Take a break from stealing stuff?"_

 _"No, Mick," Leonard said, his voice filled anger and annoyance. "We need to take a break from each other. I can't work with you," he said, giving Mick one more icy glare before stepping towards the door._

 _Mick stared at Leonard with anger and disbelief as he walked away. "You need me! We're partners! We don't leave each other behind."_

 _"I'm not leaving you behind, Mick," Leonard said, placing a hand on the door. He looked at Mick once more. "I'm moving on."_

 _The door opened with a creak and closed with a loud bang that echoed loudly in the empty warehouse. Mick looked down at the bag. He angrily kicked it. They had barely gotten anything! It wasn't even worth it. He yelled in frustration._

 _He was at Saints & Sinners not even ten minutes later. He sat down at the bar and glared at the bottles against the wall. He wanted to watch them burn. He wanted to watch everything burn. _

_Someone placed a full bottle of heavy alcohol down in front of him and poured him a shot. Mick looked up._

 _"Have the whole bottle," Peggy said. "It's on me."_

 _Mick didn't understand why she cared or even knew he needed this, but he gratefully drank his shot and quickly poured himself another. Someone sat down next to Mick. Mick immediately knew this would be a problem. The guy reeked of alcohol._

 _"Care to share?" The drunk man asked Mick._

 _"Back off, punk," Mick said, sliding his bottle closer to himself._

 _"Oh, c'mon," the drunk persisted. "Just a little bit won't hurt," he said, reaching towards Mick._

 _"I said back off!" Mick said. He angrily grabbed the man's hand and threw it away from him. Mick had used a bit more force than he meant to, and the drunken man had no balancing ability left in him, so it was no surprise that he went crashing to the floor._

 _"Hey!" He yelled, clumsily standing up. He yanked a bottle from a nearby person's hand and swung it at Mick._

 _Mick easily avoided being hit, and the bottle smashed on the bar right in front of him. Mick glared at the man angrily, grabbed the neck of his bottle, and backhanded the drunk in the face as hard as he could with it. The bottle shattered meatily against the man's head._

 _The drunk screamed and grabbed his face, blood running through the cracks in his fingers. Mick stood up and raised his broken bottle._

 _"Mick!"_

 _Mick paused._

 _"Mick, stop!" Peggy suddenly appeared at his side._

 _Mick's gaze was still fixed on the drunk. People had rushed to his side as soon as they'd seen blood._

 _Peggy gently grabbed Mick's arm. He looked at her and blinked. The rage was subsiding. He lowered his arm. She had the same calming effect on him that fire did, if not better._

 _"You need to leave," she said quietly._

 _Mick looked at the front door._

 _"No, not that way," Peggy said. "I'm sure someone has already called the cops. Come out the back. Follow me." She quickly turned._

 _Mick dropped the bottle he was holding and followed her. She easily maneuvered her way through the small, cluttered corridors in the back of the bar. They soon reached a door that led outside. She suddenly turned to face him, and Mick nearly ran into her._

 _She looked up at him, concern filling her dark eyes. "If you ever need anything," she said, her hand coming up and gently brushing something off Mick's face. "I'm here, okay?"_

 _"Peggy, I –"_

 _Her hand slowly moved from his face and around his neck. "Don't say anything."_

 _She pulled Mick closer and their lips met. She was gentle but firm and tasted of something sweet that Mick couldn't quite place. He lifted his hands and gently placed them on her back, bringing their bodies closer._

 _Peggy drew back before Mick could deepen the kiss. She looked deeply into his eyes. "You should probably go."_

 _Mick stared at her breathlessly. He glanced back down the way they'd came, before looking back at her. He wanted to remember her forever; the way her small frame was delicate yet fierce, the way her eyes seemed to see right through him, and the way her hair fell over her face._

 _She opened the door and Mick was hit by cold air, bringing him back to the present. He quickly stepped outside and looked back just in time to see Peggy watching him as she closed the door._

O

"So, what happened, exactly?" Stein asked as the team gathered in the Waverider.

"Mick found our guy, but he got away," Ray explained.

"He got away?" Jax asked. "How?"

They all looked at Mick, who was eating cereal straight from the box. He paused as he noticed them watching him. "What?"

Stein sighed in exasperation. "Never mind."

"Gideon," Sara addressed. "You said there were multiple time aberrations, when is the next one?"

"It seems that there is only one time aberration now," Gideon said.

The team exchanged a look.

"One?" Nate asked. "What happened?"

Newspaper headlines suddenly filled the screen.

"'Andrew Jackson is assassinated,'" Amaya read.

"That's not good," Ray said.

"No, it's not," Sara agreed. "Gideon?"

"Yes, captain?"

"Set a course for the assassination," Sara commanded. She looked at the team. "This is our last chance," she said sternly. "There can be no mishaps. Got it?"

Nate, Amaya, and Jax nodded.

"Roger that," Ray said.

"Yes, captain," Stein said.

"Mick?" Sara said.

"Yeah, I got it, blondie," he said, looking up from the cereal.

"Alright," Sara said. "Strap in. This is an all hands on deck situation. We're all going in this time."

O

Sara surveyed the team. They were all dressed up in 19th century attire, but they were also battle ready. In short, they all looked really awesome.

"The president is in a cabinet meeting," Sara informed. "Firestorm and Ray, I need you guys to stay outside the building. If you see our guy escape, capture him."

"Will do!" Ray said.

Jax and Stein nodded.

"Nate and I will go into the meeting," Sara said. "Mick and Amaya, I need you guys to go into the building and catch our guy if he leaves the room."

Amaya nodded.

Sara looked at Mick.

"I heard you," he said.

Mick, Amaya, Nate, and Sara strode into the building. The group paused as they heard a man practically yelling. His tone was angry but passionate.

"Do you suppose that I have been sent here by the people to consult the ladies of Washington as to the proper persons to compose my cabinet with?!"

The four of them exchanged a look.

Nate smiled. "That's Andrew Jackson. I'm pretty sure he's standing up for Margaret Eaton."

"Huh," Mick grunted. "I like him."

"You two get the exits," Sara said to Mick and Amaya.

"I'll get the west side," Amaya said turning left down the hallway.

"I guess this means I'll get this side," Mick said, turning right.

Mick walked down the hallway and waited for something to happen. He inspected his gun and looked up when he heard footsteps approaching, before he saw the woman that he ran into earlier. She stopped when she saw Mick.

"I'm not taking up the whole hallway, you know," he said. "You can keep walking."

She studied him and slowly moved towards him. "Do I know you?"

Mick refused to look her in the eye. "I don't think so."

She stopped a foot in front of him. "You're that guy from the social gathering! The one for my husband, John Eaton."

"You must have me confused with someone else."

"No, no," she insisted. "It was you. You ran into me, remember?"

Mick realized he wasn't getting out of this and finally met her gaze. "Oh, yeah. I guess so."

There was a loud bang, followed by screaming. Mick and Margaret turned around. The sound had come from the cabinet room.

"Nate!" Amaya said into the coms.

"We're fine," Nate said, breathing heavily. "But our guy is getting away."

"Mick," Sara said. "I think he's coming to you."

"Oh, good," Mick said, stepping in front of Margaret and taking out his Heat Gun. "That means I can use my gun."

The man from earlier raced around the corner. Mick sprayed a line of flames in his direction but missed. The man rolled out of the way and pointed a gun at Mick that looked like the one Rip used to carry. Mick easily dodged the shots, but heard someone yell behind him.

Margaret fell to the floor. Mick immediately knelt down next to her and inspected the wounds. They didn't appear to be lethal. She had two singed dots on her chest.

He gently touched her face. "Hey."

Margaret opened her eyes, fear written on her face. Her eyes focused on Mick and she tried to sit up. She winced in pain and groaned. She looked up to see Mick staring at her as if he'd just seen something horrific.

O

 _Peggy set down a glass in front of Mick with a smile. He smiled back and she blushed. Peggy looked up and fear flashed in her eyes so quickly that Mick nearly missed it. Mick turned around to see what she was looking at._

 _A group of bikers slammed opened the door. Mick frowned. They came in and stomped their way to the bar, talking much too loudly for a normal conversation indoors. One of the bikers, the one the rest seemed to be following, walked around the bar and came towards Peggy._

 _Peggy smiled. "Evan!" She gave him a big hug._

 _Evan wrapped his arms around Peggy in a tight embrace. Mick gripped his glass so tightly his knuckles turned white when he saw Evan's hands wander over Peggy's body. They pulled apart, and Evan gave Peggy an overly eager kiss on the mouth. Evan saw Mick staring._

" _What are you looking at?" Evan asked._

 _Mick looked away and took a long sip from his drink. He knew he didn't have the best judgment, but he knew if he let his anger get the best of him now, it would look bad for him._

" _That's what I thought," Evan mumbled. He turned his attention towards Peggy, "Why don't you get me and the boys something to drink, darlin'?"_

" _Of course, Evan," Peggy said, giving him a quick hug before going back to get the bikers some drinks._

 _Mick was about to pay for his drink and leave when he remembered Leonard saying, "You need to pay attention." Mick quickly glanced at the bikers. None of them were looking at him. Mick stood up and walked back through the door he saw Peggy go in._

 _The hallway was poorly lit, but Mick could hear the sound of bottles being moved in one of the nearer rooms. Mick stood in the doorway and saw Peggy taking beers out of storage and putting them on a tray. Mick waited for her to finish before he said anything._

 _"Peggy?"_

 _She nearly jumped out of her skin. When she turned around, her eyes were so filled with fear that it made Mick want to set something on fire._

 _She immediately smiled. "Mick, you scared me!" He walked closer to her, studying her every move. He could see how she was digging her nails into her palms to prevent her hands from shaking. The normal playful light in her eyes was gone. Peggy quickly looked back down at the drinks. "I should really –"_

 _"A biker?" Mick interrupted._

 _Peggy faced him and looked down at her feet. She ran a hand through her hair before she looked at Mick. "He gave me this job. Without him, I'd have nothing."_

 _That seemed reasonable enough._

You need to pay attention.

" _Yeah, but you don't need him now," Mick stated._

" _One of my ancestors," Peggy begun, removing a necklace from under her shirt. "She was a tavern maid. Her name was Margaret Eaton." Peggy looked at the pendant fondly. Mick realized it was a locket. "She eventually became the wife of a politician. She became famous, but she still worked at the tavern and her father's boardinghouse despite being rich." Peggy opened the locket and looked at the picture inside. "She was confident and didn't care what the other women thought, even though they tried to take her down." Peggy looked up at Mick, "I want to be like her. This job makes me feel like her. Like I can be somebody great."_

" _But you are somebody great," Mick said. He then added, "You don't need a guy like Evan to be great."_

 _Peggy was still holding the locket up, so she could see it. One of her sleeves had fallen down a bit. Mick could clearly see a nasty purple bruise on her arm._

" _What happened to your arm?" he asked._

 _Peggy looked down and her eyes flashed with fear again. She immediately closed her locket and pulled her sleeve up. "Nothing."_

 _Mick was at her side in one step. He grabbed her arm and pulled up her sleeve. Her arm was dotted with bruises. Bruises that looked like someone had grabbed her too hard._

 _Mick stared, and Peggy yanked her arm away and pulled down the sleeve._

" _Who did this to you?" Mick said quietly. He was surprised he wasn't yelling, but he knew this sort of anger was much worse. The kind just below the surface. The kind that had the power of a raging fire._

" _No one did this to me," Peggy said quietly._

 _Mick studied her for another second. "Evan."_

 _Peggy tensed and looked down at the tray of drinks. Mick turned and stormed out of the room._

" _Mick! No!" Peggy said, chasing after him. She grabbed his arm._

 _He stopped and spun around. "Let me take him! I know I can do it!"_

" _You're a great fighter Mick, but I don't think you can take down a whole gang of bikers."_

" _No, but I can at least get Evan."_

 _Mick was about to turn back when Peggy's grip on his arm increased. "No," she said quietly._

" _Hey, Peg!" Evan called from behind the door. "When are those drinks coming?"_

" _They'll be right out!"_

 _Mick and Peggy looked at each other. Mick was heat, intensity, and fury. His heart was pounding, and he felt like he could take down all of those bikers despite the fact that he knew he couldn't._

" _Please, don't," Peggy pleaded, her eyes sparkling._

 _Mick stared intently at her for half a moment before he suddenly pulled out his wallet. He grabbed a few bills, sure it was more than enough, then said, "I'm leaving out the back." He brushed past her without a second thought._

O

"Mick!"

Mick blinked and looked down at Margaret. Her eyes were no longer filled with pain, but with determination. She sat up and scooted against the wall.

A hand grabbed Mick's shoulder. He stood up and turned around, pointing his gun.

Amaya gave him an apprehensive look. "Where did he go?"

Mick lowered his gun and turned to look down the hallway. The man was gone. He turned back to Amaya.

Amaya noticed his silence. "Mick, are you okay?"

Nate and Sara came rushing around the corner. They both looked at Margaret, who was sitting painfully against the wall, and then up to Mick and Amaya.

"What happened?" Sara asked.

"Guys," Jax interrupted over the coms. "We have a problem."

Sara gave Mick and Amaya a pointed look before answering. "What is it?"

"Ray tried to stop the guy as he left the building," Jax explained. "But he had this fancy gun and managed to shoot Ray down."

"Ray," Nate said worriedly. "Are you okay?"

Ray groaned, "I think so. He just got in a lucky shot. Hit one of my stabilizers."

Amaya looked down towards Margaret in concern. The others saw where she was looking and their attention fell to the woman sitting against the wall. Margaret noticed them staring at her. She smirked and began to stand up. Sara and Amaya immediately went to assist her. She put up her hand, and Sara and Amaya stopped.

"Are you alright?" Sara asked.

Margaret looked down at her singed dress and shrugged. "Oh, that's nothing. Didn't even like this outfit anyway."

"Are you sure, because –" Nate began.

She gave him a playful smile. "Your concern is touching, but I'm fine. You all seem like you have places to be," she said, addressing the others. "And so do I." She walked back towards the corner before looking back at them, smirking. "I hope I'm lucky enough to see you again."

O

"So, how exactly did this happen?" Nate asked, pointedly looking at Mick. The team was convened in the bridge of the Waverider.

"He got away and shot that chic," Mick explained, holding a bottle of beer.

"I think he's asking how that happened," Ray interpreted.

"I don't know," Mick said, taking a sip and then turning to Ray. "I guess he got in a lucky shot."

"It doesn't matter how he got away," Sara said, attempting to diffuse the situation. "We just need to find a way to stop him."

"I agree," Nate said. "Gideon said a time aberration appeared the day Jackson vetoes the renewal of the Bank of the United States charter. This is our last chance to stop him."

Sara nodded. "We need to be more prepared. Nate and Stein, you guys and I will make a plan based on the historic details Gideon gives us. Jax and Ray, I need you guys to make sure Ray's suit is back in working condition, and that what happened last time won't happen again."

"What about us, Captain?" Amaya asked about herself and Mick.

"I guess you guys get a break," Sara replied.

"Aw!" Nate whined. "That's not fair!"

Amaya smiled amusedly at Nate. "But life isn't fair." He sighed indignantly but went to work with Sara and Stein.

Amaya found Mick sitting alone in the kitchen a few minutes later drinking another beer and eating a pizza.

"Want to tell me what happened back there?" she asked, sitting across from him.

"I don't know what you mean," he said dismissively, while looking at the pizza and then taking a bite.

Amaya sighed. "I don't know what's going on with you, but I'm here if you need someone, okay?"

Mick looked up to see Amaya staring at him in concern, his mouth too full of pizza to comment. She gave him a sad smile and left. Mick swallowed his pizza and chugged the rest of his beer.

O

"Are you sure _he_ should be coming?" Stein quietly asked Sara, watching Mick come down the hallway as the team was preparing to leave.

"He's not," Sara said.

The team was all gathered in the main area of the Waverider again.

"This is our last chance to catch this guy," Sara said. "There are two doors into the building that Andrew Jackson will be in when he vetoes the charter. Jax, Stein, and I will come in from the south. Ray, Amaya, and Nate will come from the north."

Mick scowled. "What about me?"

"You're going to stay here and monitor everything," Sara said.

"Ah," Mick said, his eyebrows shooting up. "So you don't trust me."

Sara sighed, "Mick, I trust you, but you've let the guy get away twice."

"So?" Mick said, annoyance becoming evident in his voice.

"I think what Ms. Lance is saying," Stein said. "Is that you've become a bit unreliable."

"Unreliable?" Mick said. He was clearly angry now.

"Mick," Amaya said. "We need you here as back up just in case something happens."

"Sure," Mick said, clearly not believing it. He gave the team one last angry glance before storming off towards the bridge. The team exchanged a look.

"That went well," Jax sarcastically stated.

O

 _Mick sat alone in his apartment, staring at the mini bonfire he had created in the sink. Nothing seemed to being going right these days, so he turned to flames for comfort. He had spent the day burning down old buildings, his thirst for fire had never been stronger. But it had begun to rain, so he was forced to go back home._

 _Now, he was staring at the small fire he had made in his sink. He didn't have to worry about triggering the fire alarms. He always disabled those whenever he moved in somewhere. The flame captivated him. He stared at it closely trying to forget the terrible events of the past week. The fire had a way of consuming things, and turning even the mightiest of structures into ash and smoke._

Just like your friendship.

 _Thunder crashed and Mick grabbed newspaper from the counter next to the sink and fed it to the fire. He had to make the fire bigger, stronger, so he'd forget. The fire grew brighter, and its orange flames grew white at the tips. The warm colors mesmerizing him. The fire began to grow hotter, reminding him of how something so beautiful could also be so harmful._

Just like she was – you cared for her too much – what did you expect?

 _Mick blinked at the fire angrily and turned on the tap. Hazy smoke filled the room. Mick stared at the burnt remnants of the newspapers in the sink with anger, the sound of rain the only noise filling the room. Why wasn't the fire helping?_

 _Mick walked over the refrigerator and opened it. He took out a beer and wished he had something stronger. He was about to take a drink when he heard a faint tapping sound. He paused and looked towards his door. He strained his ears but didn't hear anything. He was losing it. Then he heard it again. He set his bottle down and cautiously walked to the door. He opened it and blinked in surprise._

 _Peggy stood shivering outside his apartment, soaking wet. She held her arms tightly against her chest. He didn't know how she found him, and he didn't care. He stared at her bitterly and was about to tell her to leave when she looked up at him. She looked confused and scared and Mick could tell she had been crying even though she was soaked through._

 _He opened the door wider, and she walked inside. Mick knew he'd regret this._

 _He closed the door and turned to her, "What are you doing here?"_

 _"Evan was arrested," she stated, still not meeting Mick's heated gaze. "I..." She took a breath. "I told the police what he did to me." She finally looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with tears. "I just didn't know where to go or what to do or –"_

 _Mick suddenly pulled her close in a warm embrace. She was still shivering from the rain, and she was soaked to the bone. Her shivering intensified, and Mick realized she was crying._

 _"I'm so sorry," she choked._

 _"Don't be sorry," Mick said. "_ I'm _the one who should be sorry."_

 _Peggy pulled away just enough to look up at him. "Thank you," she said softly._

 _Mick stared back at her. He knew that he'd never forget this moment. He'd never forget her._

O

Mick sat in the bridge of the Waverider, sipping a beer. He stared at the holographic blueprints of the building the team was in. Everything was going smoothly. Mick angrily slammed his bottle on the table projecting the hologram. They didn't need him. He stood up and began to walk down the hallway.

"Mr. Rory," Gideon said. "I would advise you to stay near the bridge, so you can see what the team is doing."

"I'd bet you'd also advise me not to take out my earpiece and leave the ship, either," Mick said taking out his coms and grabbing the Heat Gun.

Mick pressed the door to open the door to the Waverider. Nothing happened.

"Gideon," Mick said angrily.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that. The captain gave me strict orders –"

"Look," Mick interrupted. "I'm just going to get a quick drink. I'll be back before anyone notices."

"Given your history, that is very unlikely."

Mick chuckled. "You know me too well." He paused. "The team doesn't need me. Just let me leave. I bet they won't notice until it's too late anyway."

"Mr. Rory, you are a valuable member of the team with certain skills that are crucial to completing certain tasks."

"Well, if that's true, then why don't you trust me enough to go out and get a drink?" Silence. "I thought so," Mick muttered and began to leave. The door opened. Mick stopped in surprise.

"I suggest you leave before I change my mind, Mr. Rory."

Mick didn't have to be told twice.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

 **A/N: Again, just a warning for dark themes/heavy topics.**

 **Thanks to pennythepants for taking the time out of the craziness of life to beta for me!**

Sara, Jax, and Stein walked through the main entrance of the building, passing a few of the women Sara had talked to at the social gathering. They all gave her disapproving looks.

Jax chuckled, "Looks like you made some friends."

"Yes, I noticed," Stein said. "Need I not remind you that we need to keep a low profile."

"You're right, Gray. I don't need to be reminded," Jax retorted.

Sara just sighed and activated her coms. "We're in position. You guys ready?"

"Yup," Ray replied. "The back entrance is clear."

"He must be inside already," Stein said.

"Ray, Nate, Amaya," Sara said. "Keep the perimeter. Jax, Stein, and I are going in."

"Copy that," Nate said.

Sara, Jax, and Stein quietly open the door. The president was seated at a desk and was softly speaking with a man opposite him. They both turned to see who entered the office. The Legends immediately recognized the man as the one they were trying to catch. Unfortunately, he recognized them as well. In one swift movement, he pulled out his futuristic pistol and grabbed the president, dragging him from behind the desk.

"I say!" The president cried in alarm. "What is this?!"

"Sorry it had to come to this," the man said, pressing his gun against the president's head. "This was a bit messier than I would have liked."

"Why are you doing this?" Jax said.

The man sneered, "I'm so glad you asked. You of all people should understand my hatred for this country."

Jax looked confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Why, they took advantage of your people! They were enslaved!"

"Yeah, but that was in the past. The country changed. Besides, you're not like me, why are you so mad?"

"Oh, but I am like you. My ancestors were Cherokee. My people flourished before this nation slaughtered them and crammed them into – what did they call them? – _reservations_."

"I know the United States hasn't made the best choices, but it's no reason to destroy the whole country," Jax said.

"He is right," Stein reinforced. "This country has made mistakes, but no country is flawless. Yes, those mistakes cost your people their lives, but we will never forget it. In fact, I can say our country has learned from it and improved."

"Oh, really?" The man said angrily. "Then what about the Japanese internment camps during World War II? That didn't seem like an improvement to me!"

"That was still a mistake made in the past," Stein said. "I really see no reason to destroy this whole country for its mistakes."

"But I do," he said, putting his finger on the trigger.

"Were you born in the United States?" Sara asked.

"I was," he said warily.

"Then you know that you and your people have the same opportunities that any American citizen does. We all know that what the country did to your people was wrong. There's not much we can do to change that. It's up to you now. You can choose to dwell on the past and remain self-pitying, or you can remember what happened to your people and strive to do better. Make a better future for your people. Be an example. Don't become so trapped in the past that you forget about the future."

The man glared at Sara, his grip tight on his gun. He stared at her for another second before releasing the president. Sara quickly took the gun from him and grabbed his arm.

O

Mick stepped outside to the sickeningly bright and cheery day. He glanced at the building the rest of the team was in. He'd intended to just keep walking, but he saw Margaret Eaton walking towards the building, while a group of women were walking out. He wasn't within earshot, but he noticed the way she tensed as they passed her and the looks the other women gave her and each other.

He was so sick of this whole social class deal. He knew he might jeopardize the mission, but he walked over to the building anyway. He entered the building and quickly looked around. He realized he hadn't dressed for the time period. If the others knew…

Mick saw her turn the corner at the end of the hallway and followed her. She was sitting down in a chair in front of a set of doors. Mick figured she was waiting for her husband. As he neared her, he realized she was upset. She wasn't crying, but her hands were clasped tightly in her lap and she stared steadfastly ahead.

He sat down next to her, and she jumped in surprise. Her whole countenance changed, and she attempted a smile.

"We meet again, mysterious man," she said, taking in his outfit.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

She raised her eyebrows. "Straight to the point, I see."

"I'm not really one for social etiquette."

Her smile faltered. "Neither am I, and I'm afraid that is causing me some trouble." She paused, her eyes suddenly shining with tears. "I know I shouldn't let them get to me, but…"

"It's harder than it looks," he said. "To act like you don't care."

She looked back at him, surprised he understood.

"But listen to me," he said. "They're just a bunch of arrogant blue-bloods. You're made from the real stuff."

"And what is that?"

"Hard work," he stated. "You know what it's like to actually have to work to achieve something. They just married someone to get to where they are."

"The same could be said about me."

"Not entirely," he paused. "You seem a bit more _involved_ in the actual politics than they are."

She sighed. "I suppose."

"Don't suppose," he said. "It's true. Never underestimate yourself, understand?"

She looked back at him, studying him closely. "Why do you care so much?"

Mick hesitated. "Because you remind me of someone I used to know." Margaret looked at him expectantly. "She underestimated herself," he explained.

"What happened to her?"

O

 _Mick sat down with a bowl of cereal and turned on the small TV inside his apartment. He flipped through the channels until something caught his eye._

 _"…notorious biker and criminal Evan Walberg has been pronounced not guilty. He was accused of domestic violence by his then girlfriend, but his lawyer managed to liberate him on a small technicality involving…"_

 _Mick quickly shut off the TV and ran out the door. He easily located Peggy's house. He sped down the neighborhood, quickly reading the addresses. As he got closer, he noticed red and blue flashing lights. His adrenaline sky-rocketed. He sloppily parked his car near the curb and rushed outside. The police were surrounding Peggy's house._

 _"Hey, sir!" One of the cops yelled as Mick approached the house. "You can't go in there!"_

 _He turned to the cop. "She was my friend."_

 _"You really can't –"_

 _Mick brushed past him and entered the house. He saw the M.E. team and the coroner come out from around the corner, pushing a body bag on a stretcher._

 _"What happened?" He asked them._

 _"We're not at liberty to s –"_

 _"Who's in the bag?" He asked roughly, grabbing the man's shirt._

 _"The woman who lived here," the coroner replied. "It was suicide."_

 _Mick let go of the man's shirt. The world suddenly felt like it was spinning._

 _"I'm so sorry," the coroner said._

 _Mick felt breathless. He was suddenly back at his car, fumbling with his keys. He didn't remember getting there. His head was still pounding as he got into his car and drove away._

O

"She's gone," Mick said. "That's all that matters." The doors across from them opened, and men began to file out. Margaret searched the crowd. "Just don't be like her, okay?" Mick said. "Don't give up."

She turned to him and blinked as she saw pain clearly etched on his face. "I won't," she promised.

"Margaret!"

Margaret turned and stood up. She smiled. "John!"

"Were you waiting out here all by yourself?"

Margaret turned around in confusion. "No, I…"

Mick was gone.

"Margaret?"

She turned back to her husband and smiled. "Let's go home. The children have been waiting to see you."

O

 _Mick didn't realize where he was going until he got there. Half of him was screaming at him to just to leave, but another part of him couldn't. The latter part won, and he walked into Saints & Sinners. _

_He ordered a bottle of their strongest stuff but then realized he couldn't pay. The bartender brought him his drink._

 _"I don't have money," Mick said and began to stand up._

 _"I'll pay for it," Leonard said, sitting down next to him. "And I'll take a beer."_

 _The bartender nodded and went to retrieve the beer._

 _Mick looked at Leonard, "Leonard, I –"_

 _Leonard raised his hand. "You don't have to say anything."_

 _They both drank in silence, and Mick was grateful. He felt like he couldn't handle anything at the moment, and he and Leonard had a way of knowing what each other needed. That was why they were great partners – great friends._

 _Two weeks later, Evan Walberg died in an accidental house fire. Leonard never said anything and neither did Mick, but they both knew it was no accident._

O

Ray looked joyously over at Nate and Amaya, taking the coms out of his ear. "Sounds like we got the bad guy!"

"It sure does," Amaya said, turning to Nate and giving him a small smile.

He returned her smile, and they subconsciously gravitated towards each other.

Ray coughed. "I'll, uh, see you on the ship then."

"No, Ray," Amaya said. "You don't have to – "

Ray smiled. "No, it's fine. I'm serious."

Nate and Amaya looked at each other warmly, and Ray left before he saw more than he wanted to. As Ray was walking down the hall, he heard voices talking around the corner. One of them was a woman's voice. She seemed to be upset. The other was a man's voice, it was low and gruff. It kind of sounded like...

"Mick!" Ray muttered in alarm and quickly picked up his pace. As Ray came closer, he started to make out some of the things they were saying. The man's voice clearly belonged to Mick. Honestly, Ray didn't know how Mick had gotten past Gideon, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know. Ray reached the corner and was about to reprimand Mick for leaving the ship when he saw the look on Mick's face as he was talking to the woman. Oddly enough, Ray found the look familiar. He had had that same look on his face after Anna, his fiancée, had died. Ray paused to listen, not wanting to interrupt, but still felt guilty for eavesdropping.

The woman sighed. "I suppose."

"Don't suppose," Mick said, his eyes lit with a feeling only a few people ever saw Mick Rory display. Concern. "It's true. Never underestimate yourself, understand?"

The woman looked back up at Mick and studied him closely. "Why do you care so much?"

Ray saw Mick quickly glance at the floor and then back to the woman. At first, Ray thought he wasn't going to answer her, but Mick finally said, "Because you remind me of someone I used to know."

Ray waited for Mick to explain further, completely engrossed in the conversation, and frankly, a bit surprised too. He also felt guilty for not knowing this about Mick. Mick was easy to brush off as a stupid meathead, but Ray knew that wasn't true. Ray grimaced. The team had been brushing him off lately. Last time they did that it did not end well.

"She underestimated herself," Mick continued.

"What happened to her?" The woman asked.

That look came over Mick's face again, the one that Ray had seen on himself. "She's gone," Mick said simply. "That's all that matters."

Ray startled as the doors across from Mick and the woman opened, and men began to file out. Ray saw Mick say one last thing to the woman before one of the men called her name. Mick stood up, and he looked across the hall and saw Ray staring at him. Mick scowled, but Ray could clearly see pain in his eyes. Before Ray could do anything, Mick turned around and walked away.

O

Ray walked back into the Waverider to see everyone happily talking among themselves. That is, everyone except Mick. It didn't take Ray long to find him alone in the cargo hold, sitting on a box, drinking a beer, tinkering with his gun.

Mick looked up and gave Ray a harsh look before turning his attention back to his gun. "I suppose you told the others."

Ray walked over to a box across from Mick and sat down. "No, I didn't."

Mick looked up in surprise. "Why not?"

Ray studied Mick a moment before asking, "what was her name?"

Mick scowled angrily. "That's none of your business."

"Actually, it is."

"No, it's not," he snapped, anger rising in his voice.

"I'm your friend."

"I can tell by the way you guys always include me in the missions."

Ray winced. "We didn't include you because we could tell something was wrong. It's not like you to let someone get away, especially twice." Mick just took a drink. "Besides," Ray continued. "I know what's it's like to lose someone you care about."

"Is that supposed to help?"

"No, but I know what it's like."

Mick set his gun down, but refused to look at Ray.

Ray stared at Mick, he could see he was thinking about something that clearly pained him, but he stayed silent. Maybe this was a bad idea, trying to talk about feelings with Mick. Ray was about to get up and leave when Mick cleared his throat.

"Her name was Peggy." Ray looked at Mick. Mick slowly looked back up to Ray. He swore then said, "I never told anyone about this."

"Well, then, maybe you should," Ray said, surprising Mick with the level of understanding in his eyes.

Mick paused before he started talking, and once he started, he couldn't stop. Ray listened to him the whole time, and Mick was surprised yet again with how much Ray seemed to understand. He didn't think he could do it, but he told Ray everything. When he finished, he looked up to see Ray staring at him with something he couldn't name. It wasn't pity. He supposed it was sympathy; Ray wasn't looking down on him, but he clearly felt upset, His eyes were shining with tears. Mick expected Ray to give him a half-hearted, "I'm sorry," but instead he just said, "I'm glad you told me."

Mick surprised even himself when he replied, "Me too."


End file.
